Preparing Future Clinical Project Managers for Global Trials
Clinical Project Management Training for the University of Namur
To strengthen the practical readiness of master’s students in biomedical sciences, the University of Namur partnered with ECCRT to deliver a hands-on, classroom-based introduction to global clinical project management, bridging academic theory with real-world trial operations.
About the Organisation
The University of Namur is a Belgian public university with a strong focus on biomedical sciences and academic research. Through its Faculty of Medicine, the university prepares master’s students for careers spanning academic research, clinical operations, and the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors.
As part of this mission, the Department of Biomedical Sciences continuously reviews how its curriculum equips students with practical, industry-relevant skills.
The Challenge
While students had a solid scientific foundation, the department identified a recurring gap:
- Limited exposure to how international clinical trials are actually managed
- Little practical understanding of global project teams, monitoring structures, and budgets
- A need to translate regulatory and methodological concepts into operational decision-making
The objective was clear but non-trivial: deliver a concise, one-day classroom training that would give students a realistic view of clinical project management without oversimplifying the complexity of global trials.
The Objective
The University of Namur wanted students to be able to:
- Understand how global clinical research projects are structured and governed
- Clearly define the role of the Clinical Project Manager within international teams
- Apply core tools such as monitoring plans and communication plans
- Distinguish between local and central monitoring, including Risk-Based Monitoring principles
- Recognise budget and geographic considerations in multinational studies
In short: move beyond theory and give students a credible operational framework they could build on in future roles.
The ECCRT Solution
ECCRT designed and delivered a tailored, one-day Clinical Project Management classroom training in Namur, adapted specifically to a Master-level academic audience.
Key elements included:
- A structured introduction to global operational teams and regulatory environments
- Practical discussion of monitoring strategies in international trials, including RBM
- A dedicated session on budget management in multinational studies, often overlooked in academic settings
- An interactive delivery style encouraging questions, discussion, and applied thinking
- Supporting course materials and an optional online comprehension test via the ECCRT Virtual Campus
The training was delivered in English to align with the international clinical research environment and facilitated by an experienced ECCRT trainer with hands-on global study management experience.
Participant Feedback and Impact
To support internal evaluation and future collaboration across departments, feedback was collected directly from participating students. The testimonials below highlight recurring themes.
Practical Value and Expertise
“I would recommend this training because it provides clear, practical guidance that is easy to apply, and it’s delivered by a knowledgeable trainer with great expertise. It’s a great opportunity to deepen your understanding in clinical project management.”
“It was an insightful and comprehensive course.”
“It gave a good knowledge and overview of clinical project management.”
Interactive Learning and Accessibility
“It was really a good course for those starting their career in any field. The best thing I liked is the interactive approach.”
Content Quality and Structure
“I would recommend this course because the professional experience of the trainers adds significant value to the learning process, the course content is very rich and well-structured, and the information can be directly applied in different professional settings.”
Career Orientation and Motivation
“It helped me understand the project manager role and sparked my interest in pursuing this role in the future.”
“It is nice to know more about roles related to clinical research; this helps me understand how to navigate my career goals.”
“Because I learnt a lot of new things and I’m interested in expanding my knowledge in everything related to the clinical research world.”